So Much!

Oh man, so much to say!!

Ok, well first thing is first; Kendra came to visit me! Kendra and Maddie came about a week ago and we did some solid hang out time. Despite us going sight seeing and going to the beach, it was rather relaxing. I'm not overly sure if it was chill because I was with Kendra, or if it really was a pretty laid back weekend, none the less, we had a great time together. In about 2 weeks, we'll be back together for the spring break of our lives. I can't wait!!!!!!!!

On Saint Patrick's Day the group set out on our 3rd trip of the semester to Valencia and Barcelona. 6 hours later on the bus we were in Cullera, which is in Valencia and chilled out in our awesome apartments. I got to cook dinner. I made pasta (obviously, cheap and easy) and my own sauce!!! so satisfying! I really miss cooking, I almost cried when I thought the stove wouldn't work, but then we figured it out so all was well. The next day we went into town and participated in some festivities in the town and basically danced in the streets with the whole entire town. Thursday we went into Valencia, the city, and saw Las Fallas. Basically the 4th of July on crack. We went to this parade at around 8pm and it was just a half an hour of people dressed as devils and carrying flares and fireworks in their hands and setting them off. It was truly ridiculously amazing. Also, because it is just a HUGE botellon in the streets (a big out door party in the streets) we started our drinking at lunch, my drink of choice was my malibu/sunny d mix. delicious.

Las Fallas: HUGE paper machete sculptures painted with such detail that you think they are made of stone. The paper looks so smooth and hard, but its so light and papery, it's so bizarre. They were around 4 stories tall, easily. There were smaller ones that were maybe 6 or 7 ft tall, but the tallest were 4-6 stories tall. They were located ALL over the city, probably one or two per plaza...if you've ever been to spain you'd know the there is a plaza every 5 ft here. You pick one or two that are close that you want to see burn and chill out in a huge crowd of people singing and chanting "FUEGO" until the firworks technicians are ready to blow it up. We waited around 45 min for the one that we saw. then all of the sudden its this huge firworks display that is set off about 7ft in front of you and is right over your head and there is extreme worry about buildings burning down due to their proximity to the fire. Then in about 5 seconds the 4 story tall paper machete statue BURNS DOWN in the biggest bon fire you've ever been to. It's amazing. Probably MORE amazing is the amount of people in the streets setting off firecrackers EVERYWHERE. All ages, like kids 4 and up all the way to old people just lighting firecrackers in the streets where people are walking. Frightening.....I joined in a couple of times, but I'm no pyro.

Barcelona was BEAUTIFUL! I tried to get to the Museum of Contemporary Art to see if Uncle George still had some art there, but no dice, it closed before I got there. I really liked that city a lot. It was really different than other spanish cities, probably because they speak a lot of Catalan there, but still, it was cool to see the difference. Also, everything was stupidly expensive, but that's neither here nor there.I got to go to a Barcelona v. Malaga game on Sunday night and got to sport my Barca jersey. Got to see Xavi and Messi kick some serious ass...it was beautiful. Barca won 6-0, there just wasn't competition. I was a futbol fan before, but now i'm hooked. there's no going back. Baseball is still my number one, futbol (now) number 2 with tennis number 3.

About 10 days until I turn 21, I'm not sure if I'm pumped or bummed that I'm getting older. I mean, I'm a legit adult now...when did that happen?! Also, I'm bummed that I won't be with all my friends and Family at home for this one. I'll be with my friends here, and Kendra, so I'm WICKED excited for our trip to Paris and then to Rome, but I want everyone to be with me! SO!!! (wink wink) that would be real great if you could get here.